E-I-E-I-Ordinance: City of Eugene expanding urban farming options

The ordinance increases the numbers and kinds of animals that are OK to keep in Eugene.

By KVAL News
Feb 13, 2013

EUGENE, Ore. – Old MacDonald can have a farm in E-U-G-E-N-E.

And on that farm he can have 6 chickens and 6 rabbits.

Or 3 bee hives and 3 mini-goats.

But he can’t have a chicken, a mini-pig and a bee hive.

That’s the upshot of a proposed ordinance working its way through the City Council.

The Council endorsed the measure Monday. It comes back to them February 20 for a final vote.

The ordinance increases the numbers and kinds of animals that are OK to keep in Eugene. But Backyard farmers in Eugene would only be able to keep two types of critters.

Owner Bill Bezuk of The Backyard Farmer store says the ordinance update is a vast improvement from the current code. “We’re very happy that the city council is recognizing that urban farming is such a growing part of our community and they’re doing their very best to try to balance the needs of urban farmers with the rights of non-urban farmers,” says Bezuk.

So urban agrarians could pick any two from this list of four categories:

Up to 6 chickens or other domesticated fowl
Up to 6 rabbits
Up to 3 mini-goats or 1 mini-pig
Up to 3 bee hives